forum.InsaneHippie.Net

Only the best of the best posts go here.
Funny conversations, interesting ones, important ones, etc. Once moved here, they cannot be added to, or modified by the users. The Moderators with consultation from the users, will decide which posts go here.

Sharpton visits city to support Johnson
Says the Community Pride chain must succeed, suggests racism could be a factor in its demise

BY GREGORY J. GILLIGAN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Mar 28, 2004

A national civil-rights activist pledged support yesterday to beleaguered inner-city supermarket owner Johnny Johnson in his effort to save his business.

The Rev. Al Sharpton showed up in Richmond and promised to look into the causes of the retailer's financial demise, suggesting racial discrimination might have played a role.

"We did not come here for a funeral . . . but we came here for a resurrection," the Democratic presidential candidate said.

Calling Johnson a national symbol of minority entrepreneurship because he was once the country's largest minority grocer, Sharpton told a crowd of about 150 people that Johnson's four stores must succeed.

"We are not going around the country saying Johnny Johnson failed," Sharpton said. "We are going to do what we have to do to keep Community Pride open. Our pride is at stake."

Sharpton attended a community rally organized by Johnson and his supporters at his chain's The Market at Tobacco Row grocery store.

The chain's workers and others pumped up the crowd by singing Sister Sledge's popular tune "We Are Family."

"We are not going to give up today," said Jim Lackovitch, the retailer's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "This is just the beginning of our fight."

Johnson's Marketplace Holdings Inc. either must sell The Market at Tobacco Row and its three Community Pride stores soon or face closing them, his lawyer has said.

His company owes money to its largest supplier, grocery distributor Supervalu Inc. Supervalu did not deliver some merchandise about 10 days ago because Johnson was in default on its payment, the lawyer has said.

Supervalu spokeswoman Lynne High said she could not comment on yesterday's rally or on Sharpton's remarks.

"We have worked very hard with Johnny to help him with his business operations," she said.

Johnson declined comment after yesterday's rally about the fate of his chain. He referred questions to celebrity lawyer Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., who did not return repeated phone calls.

Sharpton said he wants to get to the bottom of why Johnson's company is having problems.

"There are people who try to put a ceiling on how high we can go," Sharpton said. "This is about achieving the American dream. If Johnny Johnson can't make it, then the American dream can't make it."

Sharpton told the crowd that Johnson built up his business "the hard way" and did not ask for handouts or favors.

But he failed to mention that grocery wholesale distributor Richfood Holdings Inc. - which was sold to Supervalu in 1999 - floated much of the money in 1992 used to buy the initial stores, which Johnson has since paid off. And Johnson got financial assistance from a foundation created by the Ukrop's Super Markets Inc. chain.

Sharpton stopped short of blaming Supervalu for Johnson's problems, saying corporate America is trying to dismantle minority businesses from the boardrooms.

"I deserve a fair and equitable opportunity for entrepreneurship," Johnson told the crowd. "The color of my skin should not make a difference."

Sharpton claims Johnson must pay more for private label products from his grocery supplier than other chains such as Ukrop's.

"Something doesn't smell right to me," Sharpton said. Also, Sharpton suggested Supervalu interfered in Johnson's plans to purchase the Camellia Food Stores chain of 18 stores in Hampton Roads last year. Marketplace Holdings filed a lawsuit against Camellia Foods after the deal fell through. "It is illegal for people to try to force someone out of business," Sharpton said after the rally.

He expects it will take a month or more to complete his investigation.

I couldn't resist showing how stupid the "racism" angle to this story is.

For one, anyone not familar with Richmond and Community Pride, CP is a small grocery store chain run by Johnny Johnson. A few years ago, Johnson ran "Rack and Sack" and "Community Pride" grocery store chains. RS was effectively a "discount" grocery store, with no baggers (at first) and cheap food, and TONS of beers. It was a good place to get a great price on food. The problem is that the three stores (solely in the suburbs) didn't make enough money to support itself, so in a misguided if not stupid move, Johnson revamped one of his stores (I worked at the store, before I came to work at Best Buy. I worked at the West End RS store from Jan 1998 until Dec 2000.) RS bled money like the Titanic.
In Dec 2000, I got my pink slip, and the store closed, all three stores closed.

Community Pride is an inner city based grocery store.
Some of the stores were very small, because they had to fit into older buildings in the city. Nearly all of CP's market is poor black folks in the city. The one exception until recently was CP's VCU store, which was on teh campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, it did a pretty good business there, with customers that weren't just blacks. Tho CP cut their beer selling policy to those that were 27 and weren't VCU students, because students were either buying beer underage, or using kegs for frat parties. A year or so ago, CP sold their lot to Ukrops. I don't know whether Ukrops bought that lot from CP, or CP had lots of debt. A year or so ago Johnson made yet another blunder, he opened up a big grocery store in the middle of Shockoe, Richmond, VA (Shockoe is Richmond's "bar district" and next to Churchhill, a mostly poor and black district, with some non-blacks moving in slowly. Now the Shockoe store is going under too...

The Rev. Al Sharpton showed up in Richmond and promised to look into the causes of the retailer's financial demise, suggesting racial discrimination might have played a role.

http://www.boldconservative.com - A proud Red State Conservative, and Un-Reconstructed Southerner!God Bless the Troops. "Why not the Time Cube?" The only reason is educated stupidity. -TimeCube.com

Sharpton visits city to support JohnsonSays the Community Pride chain must succeed, suggests racism could be a factor in its demiseWhat a tough break, Al! From being the nation's next to last choice for Democratic President to a grocery store rally... What's next Al? Couples night at the Roller Rink?

"Calls of racism are the last refuge of the damned." -- Jesse Dolan

Sharpton visits city to support JohnsonSays the Community Pride chain must succeed, suggests racism could be a factor in its demiseIf I think Al Sharpton is an idiot, and starved for attention, would that elevate me to the status of "racist" in Al's eyes? In related news, recent polls suggest that stupdity could have been a factor in Al Sharpton's political demise too. Film at 11.

"We did not come here for a funeral . . . but we came here for a resurrection," the Democratic presidential candidate said.After the rally, Al Sharpton also paid his last respects to his public credibility.

Calling Johnson a national symbol of minority entrepreneurship because he was once the country's largest minority grocer, Sharpton told a crowd of about 150 people that Johnson's four stores must succeed.Yep... Classic liberalism... It "must succeed", what if it doesn't, will Sharpton beg the gov't for money to prop it up? Compete or die. It's as simple as that.

"We are not going around the country saying Johnny Johnson failed," Sharpton said. "We are going to do what we have to do to keep Community Pride open. Our pride is at stake.""No we didn't fail, we just said that Johnny Johnson didn't succeed." said Johnson's PR Secretary.

Calling Johnson a national symbol of minority entrepreneurship because he was once the country's largest minority grocer, Sharpton told a crowd of about 150 people that Johnson's four stores must succeed.He was the nation's "largest minority grocer", with only 4 stores open currently? How many did he have at the most? Six stores?

Among those attending were Richmond Mayor Rudolph C. McCollum Jr., City Manager Calvin D. Jamison, Vice Mayor Delores L. McQuinn and state Sen. Henry W. Marsh III, D-Richmond.Gwen Hedgepeth was also in attendance, but the last time anyone saw her, she was in the Meat Department, no one had seen her for a few hours.

"We are not going to give up today," said Jim Lackovitch, the retailer's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "This is just the beginning of our fight."Johnson's Marketplace Holdings Inc. either must sell The Market at Tobacco Row and its three Community Pride stores soon or face closing them, his lawyer has said.Hmmm, the "fight" between selling, or going bankrupt... A simple "rock scissors paper" game could solve that problem... It doesn't require a board meeting, unless you're starving for media attention... *cough*...

The chain's workers and others pumped up the crowd by singing Sister Sledge's popular tune "We Are Family."After a few minutes of rousing fun, some of the smarter employees started singing the theme to Good Times:
Temporary lay offs.Good Times.Easy credit rip offs.Good Times.Scratchin' and surviving.Good Times.Hangin in a chow lineGood Times.Ain't we lucky we got 'emGood Times.

Supervalu spokeswoman Lynne High said she could not comment on yesterday's rally or on Sharpton's remarks. "We have worked very hard with Johnny to help him with his business operations," she said.Mrs. High later picked up a book, Why Johnny can't read.. "Exhibit A." she said, as she showed the reporter the book.

Johnson declined comment after yesterday's rally about the fate of his chain. He referred questions to celebrity lawyer Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., who did not return repeated phone calls.Sharpton said he wants to get to the bottom of why Johnson's company is having problems."There are people who try to put a ceiling on how high we can go," Sharpton said. "This is about achieving the American dream. If Johnny Johnson can't make it, then the American dream can't make it."I can betcha if i was a businessman who was losing money left and right I couldn´t afford Cochran, can we say ¨Pro Bono¨ work? Sure I know we can. For a man who can´t pay his business costs he must either have a big slush fund to pay Mr. Cochran, or he´s in the old boy´s network with him and Sharpton... I´ll place my money on the latter.
It's not whether Mr. Johnson "achieved the American dream" it's whether Mr. Johnson can balance his American checkbook.

Sharpton told the crowd that Johnson built up his business "the hard way" and did not ask for handouts or favors.But he failed to mention that grocery wholesale distributor Richfood Holdings Inc. - which was sold to Supervalu in 1999 - floated much of the money in 1992 used to buy the initial stores, which Johnson has since paid off. And Johnson got financial assistance from a foundation created by the Ukrop's Super Markets Inc. chain.I think what we have here is failure.... to communicate.

Sharpton stopped short of blaming Supervalu for Johnson's problems, saying corporate America is trying to dismantle minority businesses from the boardrooms.I don't see where Sharpton "stopped short" anywhere in that sentence... Do you?

"I deserve a fair and equitable opportunity for entrepreneurship," Johnson told the crowd. "The color of my skin should not make a difference."Damn, what a new shock, black clientele, who don't support a black business enough are labeled racist...
Would also mean that I'm racist because I don't go to Ukrop's enough every week? If the U goes, will David Duke come and lecture me on the finer points of "supporting the white supermarket?". Sheesh.

Sharpton claims Johnson must pay more for private label products from his grocery supplier than other chains such as Ukrop's.It's called "Economies Of Scale". See Also: WAL-MART. That's the grocery business Mr. Sharpton, you know that place your butler goes to pick up your food, while you're in a limo. That place.

"Something doesn't smell right to me," Sharpton said.Sharpton then realised that foul stench of corruption was coming from himself.

Also, Sharpton suggested Supervalu interfered in Johnson's plans to purchase the Camellia Food Stores chain of 18 stores in Hampton Roads last year. Marketplace Holdings filed a lawsuit against Camellia Foods after the deal fell through. "It is illegal for people to try to force someone out of business," Sharpton said after the rally.Hmmm, a business loses money hand over fist, three major holdings go down in flames... And that pesky Camellia Food Store won't sell to such a fiscally sound businessman like Mr. Johnson? For Shame Camellia Food Stores! For Shame!

He expects it will take a month or more to complete his investigation.A month? Go search for Mr. Johnson's balance sheets, you'll find them next to Hillary Clinton's Rose Lawfirm papers, and Saddam Hussein's WMDs. Now once you have those sheets, find the row with the number and the many zeros after it, that will be Johnny's LOSS Figures.

I'm amazed this article wasn't summarised in a few sentences.

"Johnny Johnson prominent black businesman, loses another business. Prompts calls of racism due to fellow black people who aren't putting enough money into business. Legal Vultures Al Sharpton, and Johnny Cochran circle overhead, with eating utensils ready waiting for a misjudged Equal Employment Opportunity Lawsuit to be filed with conjunction with the ACLU and MBL. Johnny Johnson seeks to pay off debt after winning multimillion lawsuit seeking first ever self-race racism charge. NAACP along with John Kerry both support and deny supporting lawsuit. Film at 11.

-Jesse

http://www.boldconservative.com - A proud Red State Conservative, and Un-Reconstructed Southerner!God Bless the Troops. "Why not the Time Cube?" The only reason is educated stupidity. -TimeCube.com

insanehippie wrote:I couldn't resist showing how stupid the "racism" angle to this story is.

For one, anyone not familar with Richmond and Community Pride, CP is a small grocery store chain run by Johnny Johnson. A few years ago, Johnson ran "Rack and Sack" and "Community Pride" grocery store chains. RS was effectively a "discount" grocery store, with no baggers (at first) and cheap food, and TONS of beers. It was a good place to get a great price on food. The problem is that the three stores (solely in the suburbs) didn't make enough money to support itself, so in a misguided if not stupid move, Johnson revamped one of his stores (I worked at the store, before I came to work at Best Buy. I worked at the West End RS store from Jan 1998 until Dec 2000.) RS bled money like the Titanic. In Dec 2000, I got my pink slip, and the store closed, all three stores closed.

Community Pride is an inner city based grocery store. Some of the stores were very small, because they had to fit into older buildings in the city. Nearly all of CP's market is poor black folks in the city. The one exception until recently was CP's VCU store, which was on teh campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, it did a pretty good business there, with customers that weren't just blacks. Tho CP cut their beer selling policy to those that were 27 and weren't VCU students, because students were either buying beer underage, or using kegs for frat parties. A year or so ago, CP sold their lot to Ukrops. I don't know whether Ukrops bought that lot from CP, or CP had lots of debt. A year or so ago Johnson made yet another blunder, he opened up a big grocery store in the middle of Shockoe, Richmond, VA (Shockoe is Richmond's "bar district" and next to Churchhill, a mostly poor and black district, with some non-blacks moving in slowly. Now the Shockoe store is going under too...

The Rev. Al Sharpton showed up in Richmond and promised to look into the causes of the retailer's financial demise, suggesting racial discrimination might have played a role.

The Rev. Al Sharpton showed up in Richmond and promised to look into the causes of the retailer's financial demise, suggesting racial discrimination might have played a role.

Sharpton is an idiot.

He's a con artist. Sadly a fair amount of people, both black and non-black still think he's a "leader"... I hope this story gets more publicity, so hopefully more people will see how stupid Al Sharpton is.

-Jesse

http://www.boldconservative.com - A proud Red State Conservative, and Un-Reconstructed Southerner!God Bless the Troops. "Why not the Time Cube?" The only reason is educated stupidity. -TimeCube.com

The Rev. Al Sharpton showed up in Richmond and promised to look into the causes of the retailer's financial demise, suggesting racial discrimination might have played a role.

Sharpton is an idiot.

He's a con artist. Sadly a fair amount of people, both black and non-black still think he's a "leader"... I hope this story gets more publicity, so hopefully more people will see how stupid Al Sharpton is.

The Rev. Al Sharpton showed up in Richmond and promised to look into the causes of the retailer's financial demise, suggesting racial discrimination might have played a role.

Sharpton is an idiot.

He's a con artist. Sadly a fair amount of people, both black and non-black still think he's a "leader"... I hope this story gets more publicity, so hopefully more people will see how stupid Al Sharpton is.

-Jesse

He's more intelligent than Bush, however.

Yes, that's the reason why Al Sharpton is the Democratic Candidate for President. Calls Rule #5 again.
You have no argument, on this one, and you know it.
But if you insist on showing your inteligence by putting your foot in your mouth, be my guest.

-Jesse

http://www.boldconservative.com - A proud Red State Conservative, and Un-Reconstructed Southerner!God Bless the Troops. "Why not the Time Cube?" The only reason is educated stupidity. -TimeCube.com

The Rev. Al Sharpton showed up in Richmond and promised to look into the causes of the retailer's financial demise, suggesting racial discrimination might have played a role.

Sharpton is an idiot.

He's a con artist. Sadly a fair amount of people, both black and non-black still think he's a "leader"... I hope this story gets more publicity, so hopefully more people will see how stupid Al Sharpton is.

-Jesse

He's more intelligent than Bush, however.

Yes, that's the reason why Al Sharpton is the Democratic Candidate for President. Calls Rule #5 again.You have no argument, on this one, and you know it.But if you insist on showing your inteligence by putting your foot in your mouth, be my guest.